All Creatures Great & Small (2020) s04e04 “By the Book” [2023] D: Stewart Svaasand. S: Nicholas Ralph, Samuel West, Anna Madeley, Rachel Shenton, James Anthony-Rose. While the majority of the episode concerns Shenton’s pregnancy fears, new guy Anthony-Rose works on his bedside manner (for the humans, not the animals). And Madeley has a monumental life change she quietly processes.
All Creatures Great & Small (2020) s04e05 “Papers” [2023] D: Jordan Hogg. S: Nicholas Ralph, Samuel West, Anna Madeley, Rachel Shenton, Will Thorp, Patricia Hodge, James Anthony-Rose. Ralph is finally off to war, but frets about leaving West with no help other than new guy Anthony-Rose. For his part, Anthony-Rose gets the traditional CREATURES onboarding with the adorable Tricki Woo. Meanwhile, Madeley’s smoldering slow burn arc heats up a bit.
All Creatures Great & Small (2020) s04e06 “The Home Front” [2023] D: Stewart Svaasand. S: Samuel West, Anna Madeley, Rachel Shenton, James Anthony-Rose, Will Thorp, Tony Pitts, Imogen Clawson. The episode feels like something of a rerun–Shenton’s worried about another miscarriage after moving back home with the fam. Meanwhile, Madeley’s got some momentous changes on the horizon (or does she?). It’s nice to see Clawson and Pitts, regardless.
All Creatures Great & Small (2020) s04e07 “On a Wing and a Prayer” [2023] D: Jordan Hogg. S: Nicholas Ralph, Samuel West, Anna Madeley, Rachel Shenton, James Anthony-Rose, Imogen Clawson, Tony Pitts. Nice Christmas episode about Ralph trying to get home to see Shenton, even if it means he has to go AWOL. Back in town, West and Madeley throw the annual party. It’s a wee patriarchal and they’re in trouble with four more war seasons, but it’s nice.
American Gothic (1995) s01e13 “Resurrector” [1996] D: Elodie Keene. S: Gary Cole, Lucas Black, Brenda Bakke, Sarah Paulson, Nick Searcy, Jake Weber, Tina Lifford. Guest star Greg Travis asks Cole to help turn his radio career into a television one. Except the TV folks don’t want Travis’s wife (Irene Ziegler), despite her doing all the work on their show. How ever can Travis free himself… Meanwhile, Black starts trouble trying to get Paulson’s spirit back. The continuity’s rocky, but acting solid. Especially Searcy.
American Gothic (1995) s01e14 “Inhumanitas” [1996] D: Bruce Seth Green. S: Gary Cole, Lucas Black, Brenda Bakke, Sarah Paulson, Nick Searcy, Pat Hingle, Tim Grimm. Strong episode about Paulson finally attacking Cole head on. Cole’s improper relationship with town pastor Hingle figures in, as does (to a lesser extent) Cole’s attempt to corrupt local attorney Grimm. Black’s around (and is excellent as ever) but he’s somewhat superfluous except as the de facto pawn in Paulson and Cole’s supernatural battle. Lots of retconning and reveals.
Beacon 23 (2023) s01e01 “Corbenic” D: Daniel Percival. S: Lena Headey, Stephan James, Natasha Mumba, Stephen Root, Wade Bogert O’Brien. Mining-based future sci-fi derivative with mineralogist with a secret Headey crash landing on space lighthouse keeper with a secret James’s lighthouse. There’s a nice bracketing technique to gin up suspense and Headey’s a strong lead in a middling effort. James might not be up to the task. Decent production values also help.
Beacon 23 (2023) s01e02 “Wreckers” D: Daniel Percival. S: Lena Headey, Stephan James, Natasha Mumba, Wade Bogert O’Brien, Paulino Nunes, Marnie McPhail, Jaeden Noel. Better than last episode even with some thin guest star performances. Headey is really good in a lead part (even this one), as it turns out she’s got some big secrets. No time to reveal them though, because she and James have to team up to fend off space pirates. Or are they? James is better, which also helps.
Beacon 23 (2023) s01e03 “Why Can’t We Go On as Three?” D: Daniel Percival. S: Lena Headey, Stephan James, Natasha Mumba, Wade Bogert O’Brien, Sandrine Holt. Somehow, Holt arrives from a spaceship to have a fight scene with James. The fight’s the only action, with the rest a maudlin play about Holt, James, and Headey. Holt forces them into a love triangle, except it’s also a big secret reveal episode, so things go sideways. Headey’s great. The episode’s often thin, but she’s so good.
Beacon 23 (2023) s01e04 “God in the Machine” D: Erskine Forde. S: Wade Bogert O’Brien, Barbara Hershey, Eric Lange. Flashback episode reveals the show’s space magic context we’ve been missing. Also, repairman-with-a-secret Lange arrives on the beacon (a hundred years before the series’s time). Can station keeper Hershey figure out his agenda while having a weird Motherboy relationship with AI O’Brien? O’Brien’s more obnoxious than usual, and Lange’s thin. Hershey tries her best.
Beacon 23 (2023) s01e05 “Rocky” D: Oz Scott. S: Stephan James, Lena Headey, Natasha Mumba, Bo Martynowska, Stephen Root, Wade Bogert O’Brien. There’s another ship on its way carrying danger for James and Headey. While they wait, we get the story of James vs. Root for control of the beacon. Lots of narrative devices–flashback, video playback, hallucinations, dream sequences. Then there’s a big leap for the cliffhanger. Can it land? Who knows. James’s best episode and Headey’s great too.
Beacon 23 (2023) s01e06 “Beacon Twenty Three” D: Oz Scott. S: Wade Bogert O’Brien, Carolina Bartczak, Marc Menchaca, A.J. Simmons, Sydney Ozerov-Meyer, Matilda Legault. It’s another flashback episode. Beacon AI Bogert-O’Brien recounts the story of the magic rocks to space terrorist Menchaca. Bogert-O’Brien’s the least annoying he’s been to date, and eventually nearly good. Bartczak’s solid as the first beacon-keeper. Simmons and Ozerov-Meyer less so as later ones. Nicely directed, compelling. The show’s hit a stride. Maybe.
Beacon 23 (2023) s01e07 “End Transmission” D: Greg Beeman. S: Stephan James, Lena Headey, Natasha Mumba, Wade Bogert O’Brien, Marc Menchaca, Jess Salgueiro, Daniel Malik. It’s slightly too busy with extraneous guest stars, but this episode ties together the previous six, revealing which flashback episodes were most important (maybe). Menchaca returns (because there’s always got to be a new visitor) ten years after his last appearance, knowing more about Headey than she knows about herself–until now. Great performance from Headey, as usual.
Beacon 23 (2023) s01e08 “Adamantine” D: Tessa Blake. S: Stephan James, Lena Headey, Natasha Mumba, Eric Lange, Marc Menchaca, Jess Salgueiro, Daniel Malik. The season closes with some slips thanks to Salgueiro and Malik, who get more to do and do nothing with it, and the script, which dumps in overdue ground situation by the ton. Returning guest star Lange finally ties everything everything together, but no context for the stakes. The show’s herky-jerky plotting kicks it in the pants here.
Beacon 23 (2023) s02e01 “Godspeed” [2024] D: Kevin Sullivan. S: Stephan James, Lena Headey, Natasha Mumba, Eric Lange, Marc Menchaca, Jess Salgueiro, Daniel Malik. Exit Headey? Exit the entire cast except James? The second season premiere plays more like a series finale, completing and postscripting every potential cliffhanger. It’s a very interesting move (especially if they mean it). But how would you know you’re even supposed to expect another episode? So many questions. Series best performances from Salgueiro and Lange, if they matter.
Beacon 23 (2023) s02e02 “Purgatory” [2024] D: Lewin Webb. S: Stephan James, Natasha Mumba, Tara Rosling, Robinne Fanfair, Aldrin Bundoc, Noah Lamanna, Hannah Melissa Scott. Imagine traveling the galaxy without a care only to discover bureaucracy is still a thing. After ending the show (sort of) last episode, this one focuses on AI Mumba’s ominous debrief. But what does James have to do with it? The episode’s stylish and enthusiastic, even when unsuccessful. And Mumba–who’s never gotten anywhere near this much–is outstanding.
Beacon 23 (2023) s02e03 “Iris” [2024] D: Angel Kristi Williams. S: Stephan James, Natasha Mumba, Ellen Wong. The show’s uptick flattens–at least for the first half of the episode, which introduces an entirely new character: another beacon-keeper, played by Ellen Wong. All of her initial character development is about being a girl in love with her penpal. It picks up when she goes to rescue James (as does Wong’s performance). Some rough going though.
Beacon 23 (2023) s02e04 “Berth” [2024] D: Erskine Forde. S: Stephan James, Natasha Mumba, Bo Martynowska, Noah Lamanna, Ellen Wong. Truly strange mishmash of an episode where James and Wong bond over mechanical crisis, while Mumba fends off evil AI Lamanna. Very herky-jerky but it mostly works thanks to Wong, Mumba, and James. The show’s also introducing lots of space magic, but in bits and pieces so it can keep kicking the can. Helps Wong is so good.
The Big Door Prize (2023) s02e01 “The Next Stage” [2024] D: Steven K. Tsuchida. S: Chris O’Dowd, Gabrielle Dennis, Josh Segarra, Sammy Fourlas, Djouliet Amara, Damon Gupton, Ally Maki. The episode jumps back to Maki’s story, revealing how and why she came to town (before the series started), then deals with last season’s cliffhanger. It’s a “same-night” follow-up, which is successful, but it still has a dawdling problem. The timing’s off, especially for O’Dowd and Dennis. But solid. With strong performances from everyone at this point.
Casanova (2005) 3 episodes “Yes” D: Sheree Folkson. S: Rose Byrne, Peter O’Toole, David Tennant, Laura Fraser, Rupert Penry-Jones, Shaun Parkes, Nina Sosanya. Too long miniseries with old man Casanova O’Toole telling stories of his younger days to maid Byrne. Tennant plays in the flashbacks; he’s cute, but O’Toole gets good, especially when Byrne pushes him. The visible TV budget hurts it. Writer Russell T Davies cast Tennant as DOCTOR WHO based on this part.
Crashing (2016) s01e01 “Episode 1” D: George Kane. S: Damien Molony, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Jonathan Bailey, Louise Ford, Julie Dray, Adrian Scarborough, Amit Shah. Often very funny kick-off to the series about a group of almost thirty-somethings caretaking a hospital (which is left too unexplained). Waller-Bridge (who also writes the show) is the latest addition, visiting best friend Molony; they have more-than-friends chemistry. Where does that leave his fiancee, Ford? Sometimes repetitive jokes, but still a fine start.
Crashing (2016) s01e02 “Episode 2” D: George Kane. S: Damien Molony, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Jonathan Bailey, Louise Ford, Julie Dray, Adrian Scarborough, Amit Shah. Not as uproarious as the first episode, but lots of good character development (and still lots of laughs). Ford gets Waller-Bridge a job at her work, then immediately regrets it and tries to sabotage her on the first day. Meanwhile, Bailey drags Shah out of work on what seems to be a whim but maybe not. Super good.
Criminal Record (2024) s01e01 “Emergency Caller” D: Jim Loach. S: Peter Capaldi, Cush Jumbo, Zoë Wanamaker, Stephen Campbell Moore, Joana Borja, Ian Bonar, Chizzy Akudolu. Black female detective Jumbo comes across evidence of an innocent man in prison, only to find her bosses (and the original detective, Capaldi), don’t want to hear about it. It’s an AppleTV+ prestige outing, pretty and thin. Capaldi’s good enough; Jumbo’s likable if not particularly good.
Criminal Record (2024) s01e02 “Two Calls” D: Jim Loach. S: Peter Capaldi, Cush Jumbo, Shaun Dooley, Cathy Tyson, Ian Bonar, Chizzy Akudolu, Andrew Brooke. After an exciting cliffhanger resolution, the episode gets way more self-contained, as Jumbo continues her investigation into top cop Capaldi. The acting’s all good enough (if only just at times), with Capaldi now feeling like a stunt cast. Is the show always going to be so episodic?
Criminal Record (2024) s01e03 “Kid in the Park” D: Jim Loach. S: Peter Capaldi, Cush Jumbo, Shaun Dooley, Zoë Wanamaker, Charlie Creed-Miles, Cathy Tyson, Stephen Campbell Moore. Another episode, another main case, this time a (white) kid hit in a drive-by shooting. The show is quickly just becoming compelling characters in rote copaganda situations, albeit with British accents. Capaldi seems like he’s doing a Pacino impression.
Criminal Record (2024) s01e04 “Protected” D: Jim Loach. S: Peter Capaldi, Cush Jumbo, Shaun Dooley, Zoë Wanamaker, Charlie Creed-Miles, Cathy Tyson, Stephen Campbell Moore. The show’s still spinning its wheels, feigning the contemporary murder investigation is important. Capadi’s veering into one note, especially given the serpentine reveals. They all make Capaldi more suspect and Jumbo more of a martyr. Literally.
Criminal Record (2024) s01e05 “Possession with Intent” D: Shaun James Grant. S: Peter Capaldi, Cush Jumbo, Shaun Dooley, Zoë Wanamaker, Charlie Creed-Miles, Cathy Tyson, Stephen Campbell Moore. Capaldi’s cronies go after Jumbo’s son and push things over the edge. It’s extraordinarily serious stuff for the show and unclear it can survive the flex. Loads more big reveals and twists too. Some real good acting.
Criminal Record (2024) s01e06 “Beehive” D: Shaun James Grant. S: Peter Capaldi, Cush Jumbo, Zoë Wanamaker, Charlie Creed-Miles, Cathy Tyson, Stephen Campbell Moore, Rasaq Kukoyi. It’s the first–and entirely unexpected despite it being the natural conclusion of multiple melodramatic devices–great episode of the show. Perfect amount of tense drama and a capable cast. Capaldi, Jumbo, Tyson, Kukoyi, and Creed-Miles are outstanding. It won’t be as good again.
Criminal Record (2024) s01e07 “The Sixty-Twos” D: Shaun James Grant. S: Peter Capaldi, Tom Moutchi, Shaun Dooley, Charlie Creed-Miles, Georgina Rich, Cathy Tyson, Mark Weinman. Big reveal flashback episode. Great Capaldi and Moutchi performances, intricate, deliberate scripting. But it is all to excuse racism, knowingly, in copaganda. And the cliffhanger in the present is oddly complacent in continuing it. Only with some misogyny. But maybe they’ll pull it off?
Criminal Record (2024) s01e08 “Carla” D: Shaun James Grant. S: Peter Capaldi, Cush Jumbo, Shaun Dooley, Charlie Creed-Miles, Georgina Rich, Rasaq Kukoyi, Tom Moutchi. Half excellent, half eh finish. Jumbo and Capaldi are great oil and water cop show partners, except of course… he maybe framed an innocent Black guy. All is revealed, with about four endings too many, and none with the right characters. Real good acting all around, even with the rushed third act.
Deadwater Fell (2020) 4 episodes “Yes” D: Lynsey Miller. S: David Tennant, Cush Jumbo, Anna Madeley, Matthew McNulty, Stuart Bowman, Lisa McGrillis, Laurie Brett. It’s an all romance issue. Dracula and Domini talk past each other with agendas and love at first bite. Blade’s girlfriend distracts him from his life-long question. Rachel’s sick of Frank. Harold comes back for some ungodly reason. Speaking of godly, Wolfman goes 100% Christian comic, with Jesus being a visually passive but ostensibly active participant. Blah.
Death and Other Details (2024) s01e01 “Rare” D: Marc Webb. S: Violett Beane, Lauren Patten, Rahul Kohli, Angela Zhou, Hugo Diego Garcia, Pardis Saremi, Mandy Patinkin. Attempt at a KNIVES OUT (but with lots of sex) mystery set on a 1%er yacht. Beane’s the adopted poor with a tragic past and an acerbic wit. Once there’s a murder, she gets investigating alongside childhood disappointment Patikin, who failed to solve her mother’s murder. Patikin’s the whole show (once he arrives), Beane’s not ready for the lead, and the whole thing’s desperate.
Death and Other Details (2024) s01e02 “Sordid” D: David Petrarca. S: Violett Beane, Lauren Patten, Rahul Kohli, Angela Zhou, Hugo Diego Garcia, Mandy Patinkin, Jere Burns. Slightly better than the first episode, but still a severe lack of charisma from anyone but Patinkin (and Zhou). It doesn’t help the murder victim (Michael Gladis) is the most likable character.
Death and Other Details (2024) s01e03 “Troublesome” D: Alrick Riley. S: Violett Beane, Lauren Patten, Rahul Kohli, Angela Zhou, Hugo Diego Garcia, Mandy Patinkin, David Marshall Grant. Patinkin makes every scene good–whether supporting Beane or Linda Emond as the too Swedish Interpol agent–but the plot’s still dull, the style intentionally confounding, and Patten terrible. Just embarrassingly terrible.
Death and Other Details (2024) s01e04 “Hidden” D: Alrick Riley. S: Violett Beane, Lauren Patten, Rahul Kohli, Angela Zhou, Hugo Diego Garcia, Linda Emond, Mandy Patinkin. There’s about half a really good episode here, by far DEATH’s best. Turns out having likable characters–especially unexpectedly likable characters–helps. Patinkin continues to delight in a part where the performance is the thing. Beane’s getting more comfortable. It’s 40% fine. 35%.
Death and Other Details (2024) s01e05 “Exquisite” D: Yangzom Brauen. S: Violett Beane, Lauren Patten, Rahul Kohli, Angela Zhou, Pardis Saremi, Linda Emond, Mandy Patinkin. Beane has a picturesque Maltese date with Kohli while Patinkin teams up with Pardis Saremi to hunt Keyser Sozo. Plus Patten doing business stuff. It’s better than the low but not particularly good. Saremi’s fantastic though. The show hasn’t been good to her.
Death and Other Details (2024) s01e06 “Tragic” D: Yangzom Brauen. S: Violett Beane, Lauren Patten, Rahul Kohli, Angela Zhou, Pardis Saremi, Linda Emond, Mandy Patinkin. Turns out Patten is a great singer at least. Lots of developments and reveals this episode–no one and nothing as they seem (again)–to get the chairs in order for next episode’s reveals (again). Kohli’s real good, ditto Edmond.
Death and Other Details (2024) s01e07 “Memorable” D: James Griffiths. S: Violett Beane, Lauren Patten, Mandy Patinkin, David Marshall Grant, Michael Gladis, Jack Cutmore-Scott, Jere Burns. Initially obnoxious stylized flashback episode where Beane reviews Patinkin’s casework all those years ago. It gets real bad at times, partially because concept, partially because Griffiths’s direction is bad. But somehow, it gets through, and all of a sudden, there’s intrigue and compelling situations. With not insignificant caveats but… it works.
Death and Other Details (2024) s01e08 “Vanishing” D: James Griffiths. S: Violett Beane, Lauren Patten, Angela Zhou, Linda Emond, Mandy Patinkin, Lisa Lu, Jere Burns. The plot dominos are falling at an accelerated rate, making for a packed episode, which jogs back before last episode, runs parallel, then runs subsequent. I’m sure someone thought it was a neat idea, but it’s not. Desperate Wes Anderson-esque direction too. Some real good acting, some bad; it’s Patten’s best episode, another good one for Zhou.
Death and Other Details (2024) s01e09 “Impossible” D: Dinh Thai. S: Violett Beane, Lauren Patten, Rahul Kohli, Hugo Diego Garcia, Jack Cutmore-Scott, Danny Johnson, Christian Svensson. Beane’s got to do an episode without Patinkin, which actually works out. She’s come a long way on the show (and this episode continues to reveal the writing’s failing her). The passengers are now hostages; really good episode for Johnson, bad one for Cutmore-Smith. And then the cliffhanger reveal is actually a surprise. Multiple ones, in fact.
Death and Other Details (2024) s01e10 “Chilling” D: Dinh Thai. S: Violett Beane, Lauren Patten, Angela Zhou, Hugo Diego Garcia, Pardis Saremi, Linda Emond, Mandy Patinkin. Yikes, it’s so bad. The episode has lots to resolve–there are a couple decent twists, but it’s mostly atrocious. Beane and Patinkin never even get their due, presumably something for season two, which they very ill-advisedly set up. Every scene ends with a fade-out ending moment, and there are about twenty scenes. It’s exhausting. And awful.
Doctor Who (2005) s14e00 “The Church on Ruby Road” [2023] D: Mark Tonderai. S: Ncuti Gatwa, Millie Gibson, Michelle Greenidge, Angela Wynter, Gemma Arrowsmith, Anita Dobson. Not great but okay enough outing for new sexy, Black, possibly queer Doctor Gatwa, who continues to be Black, sexy, and possibly queer. The adventure includes on-demand retcons, goblins, skyships, and an iffy new companion, Gibson. Gatwa can hold things together fine, though.
Echo (2024) s01e01 “Chafa” D: Sydney Freeland. S: Alaqua Cox, Chaske Spencer, Tantoo Cardinal, Devery Jacobs, Cody Lightning, Graham Greene, Vincent D’Onofrio. Spin-off from HAWKEYE show for anti-hero Alaqua Cox, except ECHO’s a DAREDEVIL character so there’s a lengthy setup involving D’Onofrio (and featuring a Charlie Cox cameo as Daredevil) leading up to the events in HAWKEYE. Way too busy front, with the later series setup (Cox going home to Oklahoma) much better. The fighting’s okay, but there’s not enough. Good acting. Panavision aspect’s a tad much.
Echo (2024) s01e02 “Lowak” D: Sydney Freeland. S: Alaqua Cox, Chaske Spencer, Tantoo Cardinal, Devery Jacobs, Cody Lightning, Graham Greene, Vincent D’Onofrio. Sort of fun episode (fun for ECHO) with Cox trying to get her family onboard with taking on D’Onofrio’s crime empire. Graham Greene’s adorable as Cox’s dad. It’s trope after trope, but it’s fine; they’re setting a low bar and clearing it.
Echo (2024) s01e03 “Tuklo” D: Catriona McKenzie. S: Alaqua Cox, Chaske Spencer, Tantoo Cardinal, Devery Jacobs, Cody Lightning, Graham Greene, Vincent D’Onofrio. Phenomenal action episode with Cox having to rescue her civilian friends from D’Onofrio’s hitmen. Fantastic direction from McKenzie. It’s just a really good done-in-one. With, apparently, a THIN RED LINE homage.
Echo (2024) s01e04 “Taloa” D: Sydney Freeland. S: Alaqua Cox, Chaske Spencer, Tantoo Cardinal, Devery Jacobs, Cody Lightning, Graham Greene, Vincent D’Onofrio. Another great episode–probably the series peak given it’s an increase after the previous high–with a bunch of character development for D’Onofrio. He’s outstanding as the show flashes back into his relationship with Cox. Very on it episode.
Echo (2024) s01e05 “Maya” D: Sydney Freeland. S: Alaqua Cox, Chaske Spencer, Tantoo Cardinal, Devery Jacobs, Cody Lightning, Graham Greene, Vincent D’Onofrio. Incredibly rushed finale centering around the tribe’s powwow, which they’re basically just introducing now. Can Cox defeat D’Onofrio’s hitmen as they crash? Possibly with magic? It’s nicely made, with a weirdly wasted (but also not) last fight. The rush means skipping connecting the dots, which doesn’t help the actors at all.
The Equalizer (2021) s04e01 “Truth for a Truth” [2024] D: Solvan Naim. S: Queen Latifah, Liza Lapira, Adam Goldberg, Tory Kittles, Laya DeLeon Hayes, Lorraine Toussaint, Ilfenesh Hadera. Latifah quickly wraps up last season’s cliffhanger so she can hunt ex-bestie, back-from-the-dead-and-bad guest star Hadera. Meanwhile, Hayes and Toussaint have a weird day at home worrying about things. The action’s not good, but it’s nice having the whole team together (Kittles hangs out). And Hayes and Toussaint have heart.
The Equalizer (2021) s04e02 “Full Throttle” [2024] D: Solvan Naim. S: Queen Latifah, Liza Lapira, Adam Goldberg, Tory Kittles, Laya DeLeon Hayes, Lorraine Toussaint, Eden Marryshow. Same bad direction from Naim and some not great writing or acting, but… the show’s trying to introduce a restorative justice angle (without naming it), and it’s interesting. The main plot involves drag racing, diplomats, and diamonds, with a mystery investigation backbone. Then Toussaint’s at home trying to convince Hayes the military’s a bad choice, and it’s a good subplot.
The Equalizer (2021) s04e03 “Blind Justice” [2024] D: Geoffrey Wing Shotz. S: Queen Latifah, Liza Lapira, Adam Goldberg, Tory Kittles, Laya DeLeon Hayes, Lorraine Toussaint, Marvin Jones III. After a rocky start, the episode evens out okay with a nice guest star turn from Jones as a blind vet who knows the secret to Latifah’s case. Toussaint and Hayes having a delightful casual mystery at an old folks home might be what puts it over (definitely). And the ostensible sincerity helps.
The Equalizer (2021) s04e04 “All Bets Are Off” [2024] D: Solvan Naim. S: Queen Latifah, Tory Kittles, Adam Goldberg, Liza Lapira, Laya DeLeon Hayes, Lorraine Toussaint, Mike Epps. Epps guest stars as a convict who can help Latifah and Kittles try to rescue his old partner from bad guy Elliot Villar. Epps easily walks away with the episode, even when he’s a little broad, and the script is even more so. There is some good emoting from Kittles and an earnest, if melodramatic, teen drama arc for Hayes.
The Equalizer (2021) s04e05 “The Whistleblower” [2024] D: M.J. Bassett. S: Queen Latifah, Tory Kittles, Adam Goldberg, Liza Lapira, Laya DeLeon Hayes, Lorraine Toussaint. Multiple guest stars pop up in this action-packed episode: Lapira’s brother (Alain Uy) comes to town with a league of assassins in pursuit. Good thing Lapira is a crimefighter. Meanwhile, Toussaint’s got romance problems with Gloria Reuben, Kittles worries dad Danny Johnson will be a deadbeat granddad, and CIA HR is after Latifah and Donal Logue. The pacing helps.
Grantchester (2014) s08e05 “Episode 5” [2024] D: Martin Smith. S: Robson Green, Tom Brittney, Al Weaver, Tessa Peake-Jones, Kacey Ainsworth, Oliver Dimsdale, Nick Brimble. Partially a pilot for Bradley Hall and Melissa Johns as the lead coppers, while Brittney continues his sad man arc. Weaver’s by far got the most heart here.
Grantchester (2014) s08e06 “Episode 6” [2024] D: Rob Evans. S: Robson Green, Tom Brittney, Al Weaver, Tessa Peake-Jones, Kacey Ainsworth, Charlotte Ritchie, Nick Brimble. Season finale takes an “all’s well if it ends well” approach to Brittney’s guilt and self-loathing arc, in no small part thanks to Green’s interventions. Some good scenes (finally) for the ladies–Ainsworth, Peake-Jones, Ritchie.
Inside Job (2021) s01e01 “Unpresidented” D: Pete Michels, Vitaliy Strokous. S: Lizzy Caplan, Clark Duke, Christian Slater, Brett Gelman, John DiMaggio, Tisha Campbell, Bobby Lee. Okay animated comedy about Cognito Inc., the banal office space behind the Deep State. Caplan is the driven woman who doesn’t make enough friends for the white guys, so she’s paired with Duke, a lovable but untalented bro. Slater’s Caplan’s dad, doing the Nicholson impression he’s been mastering since youth. It’s okay. Duke’s a lot better than Caplan, but her writing’s bad.
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (2014) s11e01 “February 18, 2024: Supreme Court” [2024] D: Paul Pennolino. S: John Oliver. Oliver goes after the Supreme Court in general and Clarence Thomas in particular, recapping all the reveals on Thomas’s profound corruption. Oliver’s got a funny potential. If only. There’s also a bit on out-of-touch politicians, but really maybe we just shouldn’t let terrible white people speak in public?
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (2014) s11e02 “February 25, 2024: Pig Butchering” [2024] D: Paul Pennolino. S: John Oliver. Oliver covers “pig butchering,” a successful social engineering scam where the scammers catfish people out of money, except with the added accouterments of crypto currency and the scammers actually being human trafficked hostages. Very humanist take—don’t abuse the hostages in the Global South, Karen. Depressing, worrying, quite good.
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (2014) s11e03 “March 3, 2024: Airplanes” [2024] D: Paul Pennolino. S: John Oliver, Rose Byrne, David Costabile, Adam Pally, Roy Wood Jr.. After their latest problems with the FAA, Oliver’s feature is on Boeing and how the company’s fallen apart since a late 1990s merger. Basically, the company’s been cravenly indifferent to safety immediately following the merger. Oliver emphasizes pleading with the company not to be full of shit and kill people. Good luck? The amusing gag commercial has a DAMAGES reunion with Rose Byrne and David Costabile.
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (2014) s11e04 “March 10, 2024: State Medical Boards” [2024] D: Paul Pennolino. S: John Oliver. After some concerning election coverage, the main story looks at state medical boards and how they’re a racket. Doctors covering for each other on complaints, plus ignoring their due diligence when giving new licenses. As usual, it turns out self-regulating is just a way to facilitate graft. Not all doctors, of course; just twenty thousand or so.
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (2014) s11e05 “March 17, 2024: Student Loan Debt” [2024] D: Paul Pennolino. S: John Oliver. Oliver tackles student loans and the lack of reform. It’s one of the technically not broken (well, still sort of) Biden achievements and the show gives it a decent trumpet. It reminds of the old Oliver, trying to arm people for family gatherings. Except this time it’s to prep talking to neo-libs.
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (2014) s11e06 “March 31, 2024: Food Delivery Apps” [2024] D: Paul Pennolino. S: John Oliver. Fascinating deep dive into food delivery apps, post-Rona, with all sorts of interesting history about their backgrounds as tech startups. In terms of communication, might be the best episode this season. Also “helps” the apps are so worker-hostile they’re obvious supervillains. Plus some good pre-feature laughs during the news.
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (2014) s11e07 “April 7, 2024: Death Penalty” [2024] D: Paul Pennolino. S: John Oliver. Really heavy death penalty episode with Oliver and the show doing a rare bit of investigative journalism and revealing the lab the U.S. government has been using to make lethal injection doses. It’s an industrial lube shop. Heavy feature about cruel, evil people. But there are two good dessert segments to round it off, for better or worse.
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (2014) s11e08 “April 14, 2024: Medicaid” [2024] D: Paul Pennolino. S: John Oliver. Oliver covers the horrors of Medicaid: corruption, incompetency, and evil. The opening segment focuses on the Arizona abortion decision, with some great details, so the transition to the feature is bumpy. Once the story focuses on the people affected–and the very obvious people hurting them (medical company CEOs)–it’s outstanding. The final bit’s cute, if long.
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (2014) s11e09 “April 21, 2024: UFOs” [2024] D: Paul Pennolino. S: John Oliver. After a really good segment white politicians (on both sides of the aisle and gender spectrum) being Islamophobic bigots about Biden nominee Adeel A. Mangi, Oliver does a deep dive into UFOs. It amounts to “someone should be more serious about it” and doesn’t even cover that guy bullshitting dummy House Republicans. Funny episode and clearly for the LOLs.
Resident Alien (2021) s03e01 “Lone Wolf” [2024] D: Robert Duncan McNeill. S: Alan Tudyk, Sara Tomko, Corey Reynolds, Alice Wetterlund, Judah Prehn, Gracelyn Awad Rinke, Enver Gjokaj. Changes are coming to ALIEN in this setup for the season (not just the kids getting a lot older, either). Tudyk’s ever the delight, ditto Reynolds. The A plot is Tomko unintentionally romancing evil alien Gjokaj. Good acting, nice directing and writing. Solid stuff, with a surprisingly sincere finish.
Resident Alien (2021) s03e02 “The Upper Hand” [2024] D: Lea Thompson. S: Alan Tudyk, Sara Tomko, Corey Reynolds, Alice Wetterlund, Levi Fiehler, Enver Gjokaj, Meredith Garretson. Tudyk, Tomko, and Wetterlund team up to investigate evil alien hybrid Gjokaj, while the rest of the town works on their subplots. Lots of heart again, lots of comedy. Some really good acting from Tudyk, Gjokaj, and Reynolds. Thompson’s direction is good. ALIEN is steady as ever.
Resident Alien (2021) s03e03 “141 Seconds” [2024] D: Robert Duncan McNeill. S: Alan Tudyk, Sara Tomko, Corey Reynolds, Alice Wetterlund, Judah Prehn, Elizabeth Bowen, Jenna Lamia. Tudyk crashes Prehn’s family vacation to Yellowstone because the greys seemingly have something going there. Intrigue and hilarity abound. Back home, everyone has a lackadaisically paced mystery-related subplot, with a lot more time spent on the human factor. Particularly for Tomko, Bowen, and Reynolds. The cliffhanger sets up the season. Off direction from McNeill, however.
Resident Alien (2021) s03e04 “Avian Flu” [2024] D: Kabir Akhtar. S: Alan Tudyk, Sara Tomko, Corey Reynolds, Alice Wetterlund, Levi Fiehler, Judah Prehn, Elizabeth Bowen. Tudyk falls for the alien sent to evict him from Earth (guest star Edi Patterson), while Reynolds and Bowen crack their case, Tomko bonds with daughter Kaylayla Raine, and Meredith Garretson breaks down (even more). Lots of laughs, heart, and fears, and a great Tudyk performance. Good episode distracts from the season’s still slow start.
Resident Alien (2021) s03e05 “Lovebird” [2024] D: Andrew Seklir. S: Alan Tudyk, Sara Tomko, Corey Reynolds, Alice Wetterlund, Levi Fiehler, Judah Prehn, Elizabeth Bowen. Tudyk and guest star Edi Patterson’s romance starts to distract him from his efforts to defeat the evil grey aliens, leading to Tomko and Wetterlund intervening. Their plan involves multiple attempts, each differently hilarious (always showcasing Tudyk and Patterson). Unlike last episode, this one feels like it’s getting the momentum going—lots of subplots getting stirred here.
Resident Alien (2021) s03e06 “Bye Bye Birdie” [2024] D: Nastaran Dibai. S: Alan Tudyk, Sara Tomko, Corey Reynolds, Alice Wetterlund, Levi Fiehler, Elizabeth Bowen, Meredith Garretson. Tudyk experiences his first heartache thanks to girlfriend Edi Patterson (who keeps up with an extra-Tudyky Tudyk this episode) while Tomko and Wetterlund get into a big best friend fight. The episode oscillates between lots of laughs from Tudyk (but also Reynolds) and lots of heart with everyone else (including Reynolds). Really good episode for Bowen too.
Resident Alien (2021) s03e07 “Here Comes My Baby” [2024] D: Brennan Shroff. S: Alan Tudyk, Sara Tomko, Corey Reynolds, Alice Wetterlund, Levi Fiehler, Judah Prehn, Elizabeth Bowen. Great, penultimate episode brings back lots of previous guest stars for cameos while working to resolve many of the outstanding, parenting-related arcs. Tudyk’s alien baby comes back to Earth, Tomko has an arc with her mom and daughter, Wetterlund has one with her parents. Plus loads of comedy. Meredith Garretson’s so good, too, on her abduction arc.
Resident Alien (2021) s03e08 “Homecoming” [2024] D: Robert Duncan McNeill. S: Alan Tudyk, Sara Tomko, Corey Reynolds, Alice Wetterlund, Levi Fiehler, Judah Prehn, Elizabeth Bowen. Packed season finale for a show without a renewal; it brings back lots of guest stars to wrap up almost all the storylines, while setting up a cliffhanger with entirely new stakes. Some great moments for Tudyk, obviously, but also Fiehler, Bowen, and Wetterlund. Oh, and Enver Gjokaj—he’s awesome. Hopefully, they get another season (or just a streaming movie?). Movies might be better.
Spy (2011) s01e01 “Codename: Loser” D: Ben Taylor. S: Dolly Wells, Mathew Baynton, Darren Boyd, Jude Wright, Robert Lindsay, Tom Goodman-Hill, Rebekah Staton. Very divorced dipshit Boyd accidentally gets a job at MI-5. Good setup, especially with Wright as the overachiever asshole son, Baynton as the jerk sidekick, and Lindsay as the super-cool secret agent. Lots of laughs, great timing from Boyd in particular (but everyone else too). Off to a strong start.
Spy (2011) s01e02 “Codename: Tramp” D: Ben Taylor. S: Dolly Wells, Mathew Baynton, Darren Boyd, Jude Wright, Robert Lindsay, Rosie Cavaliero, Rebekah Staton. Starting his new job as a spy, Boyd immediately screws up and finds himself saddled with an unwanted houseguest (guest star Ed Gaughan). Brat son Wright delights in the chaos, while Boyd misses partner Staton’s romantic signals—he’s busy avoiding family therapist Cavaliero, who’s hot for his bod. As before, very funny stuff.
Spy (2011) s01e03 “Codename: Grades” D: Ben Taylor. S: Ed Coleman, Mathew Baynton, Darren Boyd, Jude Wright, Robert Lindsay, Tom Goodman-Hill, Rebekah Staton. So far series peak in terms of character development and acting. Boyd hacks son Wright’s report card to cut him down to size, only to learn some empathy, and start almost flirting with co-worker Staton. Some good laughs for Baynton (who steals the hacking textbook) and Lindsay. The show’s hitting a stride.
Spy (2011) s01e04 “Codename: Bookclub” D: Ben Taylor. S: Ed Coleman, Mathew Baynton, Darren Boyd, Jude Wright, Robert Lindsay, Tom Goodman-Hill, Rebekah Staton. The series jumps into the absurd—Wright running an underground casino for his fellow super-genius classmates, which eventually involves blackmailing headmaster Goodman-Hill. It goes just fine, clearing the bar with ease and grace and the best episode for Wright yet. Meanwhile, Boyd and Staton fumble towards romance. Plus some outstanding Lindsay laughs.
Spy (2011) s01e05 “Codename: Blood” D: Ben Taylor. S: Mathew Baynton, Darren Boyd, Jude Wright, Robert Lindsay, Rosie Cavaliero, Tom Goodman-Hill, Rebekah Staton. The absurdity continues—as Boyd gets an impromptu promotion after doing Lindsay a favor, Goodman-Hill makes Wright a powerful hallway monitor. The power goes to both their heads, with serious repercussions for one of them and more wholesome ones for the other. There’s a lot of good acting and funny bits, but it’s too rushed; too chaotic.
Spy (2011) s01e06 “Codename: Portis” D: Ben Taylor. S: Dolly Wells, Mathew Baynton, Darren Boyd, Jude Wright, Rosie Cavaliero, Tom Goodman-Hill, Rebekah Staton. The season finale does a very nice turn around—reining in certain types of the absurd while allowing others—and gives Baynton a great showcase. We also get development on Boyd and Staton’s romance. Fine character development progress all around. Wells, Goodman-Hill, and Wright lose their usual focus (but not too much), making room for Staton and Baynton. It’s a good finale.
Spy (2011) s02e01 “Codename: Growing Rogue” [2012] D: John Henderson. S: Mark Heap, Dolly Wells, Miles Jupp, Mathew Baynton, Darren Boyd, Jude Wright, Robert Lindsay. Season two starts a little rockier than it should—Mark Heap replaces Tim Goodman-Hill and the writing’s weird. And new family therapist Jupp is perving after mom Wells, making her far too sympathetic. MI-5 agent Boyd helping Wright out with his student council election is good. And Lindsay’s great. But the rhythm’s a little off.
Spy (2011) s02e10 “Codename: Last Scupper” [2012] D: John Henderson. S: Mark Heap, Dolly Wells, Mathew Baynton, Darren Boyd, Jude Wright, Robert Lindsay, Rebekah Staton. Romantic confusion abounds in another slightly broad episode. Boyd gets suckered into helping with Staton’s wedding plans to Terence Maynard, only for Lindsay’s assassination target plot to give him another chance with Staton. Meanwhile, Ellie Hopkins is sick of Wright and Frank Kauer fighting over her so she plans a showdown. The cast is really holding it up at this point.
Spy (2011) s02e11 “Codename: Show Stopper” [2012] D: John Henderson. S: Mark Heap, Dolly Wells, Mathew Baynton, Darren Boyd, Jude Wright, Robert Lindsay, Rebekah Staton. Really nice Christmas special slash season finale wrapping up the show. It didn’t get another season, and it’s fine with it. Great Lindsay performance. Wright is in danger and Lindsay’s leading the charge—during the school talent show. Terence Maynard gets his spotlight and disappoints. He’s fine (and he’s slightly sabotaged), but still never anything more. Lots of good bits throughout, usually movie references.
Spy (2011) s02e02 “Codename: Riding High” [2012] D: John Henderson. S: Mark Heap, Dolly Wells, Miles Jupp, Mathew Baynton, Darren Boyd, Jude Wright, Robert Lindsay. Guest star Anna Skellern plays a too good to be true witness who has to stay with Boyd for protection. Meanwhile, Wright has his own problems with cool kid Frank Kauer. It’s okay enough, but there’s a bit much consolidating supporting cast stuff going on for it not to be concerning.
Spy (2011) s02e03 “Codename: Lie Hard” [2012] D: John Henderson. S: Mark Heap, Dolly Wells, Miles Jupp, Mathew Baynton, Darren Boyd, Jude Wright, Robert Lindsay. So, the episode’s got a couple major “hero sexually harrasses a woman” scenes, some homophobia, and a subplot about Jupp trying to force himself on Wells using his position as her family therapist. It’s not great. Boyd and Wright spend the day together at MI-5, with Boyd trying to hide his real job. Almost okay, that bit. And Lindsay’s good (mostly). Otherwise, yikes, we’re out of ideas.
Spy (2011) s02e04 “Codename: Mistaken Identity” [2012] D: John Henderson. S: Mark Heap, Miles Jupp, Mathew Baynton, Darren Boyd, Jude Wright, Robert Lindsay, Rebekah Staton. Overall strong episode still has Jupp being way too creepy, but it’s toned down. While Boyd and Staton have a chemistry-filled plot about filming an MI-5 TV commercial, Wright tries to figure out how to participate in a father-son trivia contest without his dad. Wright having less to do in his subplot… doesn’t not help.
Spy (2011) s02e05 “Codename: Family Bonds” [2012] D: John Henderson. S: Mark Heap, Dolly Wells, Mathew Baynton, Darren Boyd, Jude Wright, Robert Lindsay, Rebekah Staton. Easy best of the season (so far) has Wells losing her memory and thinking she and Boyd are still together; complications ensue. Also, just before she lost her memory, she found out he’s a spy. So Lindsay’s trying to kill her. Maybe. Baynton and Heap have a whole subplot (it’s Heap’s best episode, too, he’s real good). And Staton gets stuff. SPY’s back?
Spy (2011) s02e06 “Codename: Citizen Lame” [2012] D: John Henderson. S: Mark Heap, Terence Maynard, Darren Boyd, Jude Wright, Robert Lindsay, Rebekah Staton, Lindsay Duncan. Really funny, but also really situational, work-focused episode for Boyd and Heap (no Dolly Wells this episode). Heap’s dealing with a personnel issue, which ties into Wright’s arc. Then Lindsay gets suspended and his replacement, guest star Duncan, turns out to be just as pervy about Terence Maynard as Lindsay gets about Boyd. Again, works out well–great Lindsay episode.
Spy (2011) s02e07 “Codename: Ball Busted” [2012] D: John Henderson. S: Mark Heap, Dolly Wells, Mathew Baynton, Darren Boyd, Jude Wright, Robert Lindsay, Rebekah Staton. Okay but nothing special episode about Wright’s school hijinks with a new headmaster (Marian McLoughlin). She’s out to destroy Heap, who’s still around for story’s sake. Boyd’s arc involves trying to get a date for Wright’s school dance, but obviously he can’t ask Staton. Some good Baynton bits, including a number of songs.
Spy (2011) s02e08 “Codename: Double Oh” [2012] D: John Henderson. S: Mark Heap, Dolly Wells, Miles Jupp, Darren Boyd, Jude Wright, Robert Lindsay, Rebekah Staton. Boyd agrees to take an intelligence exam, betting Wright’s custody on it. He’s assuming he can just send his MI-5 double but the double’s got some problems. Way too much time is spent on Ed Coleman’s sexual predator antics, with some active misogyny from others, too. Far from the worst (or most problematic, I guess).
Spy (2011) s02e09 “Codename: Pulp Friction” [2012] D: John Henderson. S: Mark Heap, Dolly Wells, Miles Jupp, Mathew Baynton, Darren Boyd, Jude Wright, Rebekah Staton. It’s an incredibly slight, silly story about Baynton helping Wright get his book published by telling the publisher Wright’s terminally ill. It’s better than Boyd’s plot about manipulating Staton’s love life to his own advantage with her. Decent acting helps a lot with the thinness, even Boyd being a creep. Baynton and Wright are a good duo, too.